How to Search for Images and Videos on Twitter: A Visual Guide

Twitter (or “X,” if that’s what you call it) moves fast, great for catching fresh memes and breaking-news clips, not so great for finding them later. The timeline fills up, you scroll and that perfect GIF seems gone forever. The fix is simpler than you might think: a couple of built-in clicks, plus an optional dashboard if you search all the time, can pull up any photo, GIF or video without fuss.

Why Visual Tweets Deserve Their Own Search Strategy

1. Pictures and clips pull people in.

Tweets that include a photo, GIF or short video consistently collect more clicks and shares than plain text. If you’re looking for the posts that spark conversations or drive traffic, you’ll find them in the visual layer.

2. Twitter’s feed is a moving escalator.

A meme, product teaser or news snapshot can rack up thousands of views in minutes, then drop out of sight just as fast. Give the timeline an hour and that must-see clip is buried under fresh chatter. Having a quick, repeatable way to surface older images or videos keeps you from endless back-scrolling.

3. The platform’s media shortcuts are easy to overlook.

Twitter actually provides Photos and Videos tabs, plus a few helpful date and engagement filters, but they’re easy to miss. Learning where these tools live (or using a simple dashboard that places them on one screen) turns “endless scrolling” into a two-click routine.

Use Twitter’s Photos and Videos Tabs for Instant Results

The easiest trick is also the most overlooked: the row of tabs right under the search bar.

1. Type a word, hashtag or account in the search box.
2. Press Enter (or Search on mobile).
3. Tap the Photos tab to see only image or GIF tweets.
4. Tap the Videos tab to limit results to playable clips.

That’s it, no further setup. A few quick pointers:

Give those tabs a try the next time you’re hunting a meme, you may not need anything else.

Add Easy Search Tweaks Without “Tech Speak”

If tab-tapping alone isn’t enough, a few additions sharpen the results, still no code needed.

These tweaks rely on everyday punctuation (quotes) or a single keyword (from:). Nothing fancy to memorize, yet they narrow huge result sets to the visuals that matter.

Set Dates and Like Counts in Two Clicks

Need footage from last month only or pictures that earned real engagement? Twitter hides helpful filters behind a little icon.

Desktop

1. Run any search.
2. Click ••• Filters (right side) → Advanced search.
3. In the pop-up, fill From and To dates.
4. Click Engagement → set minimum likes, retweets or replies.
5. Hit Search, then switch to Photos or Videos.

Mobile

1. Search normally.
2. Tap the slider-shaped Search filters icon.
3. Choose Advanced search → set dates/likes.
4. Apply and tap Photos or Videos.

Example:

Find videos about “drone footage” with at least 20 likes posted in May 2025.

Search drone footage, 2) open Advanced search → From May 1 to May 31 → Likes ≥ 20, 3) press Videos. Done.

Still zero tech terminology, just point-and-click filters.

Where Native Media Search Still Falls Short

Even after you master the Photos and Videos tabs and the simple date and like filters, there are a few sticking points that can slow you down, especially if you search for images or clips every day.

Limitation	Why It Matters
No saved searches	Each time you open Twitter you start from scratch. Want last month's "launch day" photos again? You'll have to re-type the keyword, reset your date range and re-enter the minimum likes, every single session.
Weak geo accuracy	Twitter's location filter works only if the person tweeting has GPS tagging turned on. Most users don't. Result: you might ask for "photos within 10 km of Paris" and get only a handful, even though plenty were posted.
Mobile re-typing pain	Long queries, like a phrase plus dates plus minimum likes, are uncomfortable on a phone keyboard. Autocorrect loves to break operators; one typo = zero results.
No easy "exclude" control	Want every video about "WWDC" except the ones from big tech outlets? Twitter has no checkbox for that. You must manually add -from:TechCrunch -from:verge (minus signs) and remember to copy those usernames exactly.

If you only hunt for a meme once in a while, re-entering a filter isn’t terrible. But if you’re a social manager pulling weekly reports, a community lead curating fan art or a researcher tracking regional video chatter, the extra clicks pile up fast, prompting many power users to look for a more streamlined, dashboard-style solution.

Optional Upgrade: A One-Screen Dashboard

If you’re tired of typing search operators or trying to remember which syntax goes where, tools like TweetStormAI offer a smoother alternative. It builds on top of Twitter’s own search system, but wraps it in a clean, visual interface.

Once you open the Advanced Tweet Search inside TweetStorm, you’ll see clearly labeled filters for:

• Keywords and hashtags
• From/To accounts
• Date range
• Likes, replies, retweets
• Location (city + radius)

Tweets that contain links (which may include external media like images or videos)

Keep Your Media Searches Organized

Even with simple tools, you’ll thank yourself for a tidy system.

1. Bookmark smart URLs. After building a good filter, copy the address and store it in a folder labelled “Media Searches.”
2. Jot quick notes. A one-line remark, “Use for monthly recap slides”, reminds you why a bookmark exists.
3. Refresh quarterly. Delete outdated queries and update any date ranges.

A five-minute cleanup every season keeps searches lean and relevant.

Final Thoughts

Finding the right photo or video on Twitter shouldn’t feel like panning for gold. Three quick habits solve most headaches:

1. Use the Photos/Videos tabs first. They hide all text-only noise.
2. Add plain-language tweaks. Quotes, hashtags or from: make a huge difference.
3. Lean on Advanced search for dates and likes. Two clicks, zero code.

If you’re hunting visuals once in a while, Twitter’s built-in tools are plenty. If you do it daily, a one-screen dashboard, where you click checkboxes instead of re-typing filters, can shave hours from your week. Either way, you now have a clear, jargon-free system to find images and videos on Twitter in seconds.

FAQs

1. Do the Photos and Videos tabs include GIFs?

The Photos tab includes GIFs. Videos tab shows clips you can press play on.

2. Why can’t I see an image tweet someone linked?

The tweet could be deleted, the account might be private or Safe Search may be hiding it.

3. How do I sort media tweets by likes?

Use the Advanced search engagement filter, pick Minimum likes.

4. Can I grab images from one account only?

Yes, search from:@username, press Photos.

5. Does Safe Search block some pictures?

Yes. Disable “Hide sensitive content” in Settings → Privacy & Safety if you need uncensored results.

6. Can I exclude certain words and still look for videos?

Add a minus sign, like: recipe -chocolate filter:videos.

7. How far back can I search?

Tweets exist as far back as 2006, but older low-engagement posts may be harder to surface.

8. Are search operators case-sensitive?

No. filter:VIDEOS works the same as filter:videos.

9. Why is the location filter weak?

Only users who enable geotagging count. Many disable it, so results vary.

10. Is there a way to save filters inside Twitter?

Twitter no longer offers native saved queries. Bookmark URLs or use a dashboard with a Save option. However, searches can be saved in TweetStormAI.